Rod-packing.



Patented December 27, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID II. sTEwAET, oE AvALoN, PENNSYLVANIA.

Roni-PACKING..

l SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,430, datedDecember 2 7, 1904.

' Application tied April 11, 1904.. serial No. 202,695.

To all whom/ it may concern: Beit known that I, DAVID. H. STEWART,residing at Avalon, in the county of Allegheny `and State ofPennsylvania,'have invented a new and Improved Rod-Packing, of which thefollowing is a specification.

. My invention relatesl to improvements in that class of packing forsteam-engines, pumps, air compressors, and similar devices whichcomprises a composition formed of antifriction metal particles andalubricant pressed into a more or less hard mass; and it moreparticularly refers to improvements in that form of packing generallydisclosed in myl cepending application, Serial No. 186,359, led December23, 1903. y y

Heretofore packing of the character noted has been provided in which thebody of they packing has been composed of segregated antifrictionparticles-such as pellets, turnings,

.or chips, and a lubricant compressed with the chips into asubstantially solid mass., In the use of packing. such as referred tosuch type of packing has been found as giving generally satisfactoryresults; yet all the results desired have not been acquired from the useof such form of packing, for the reason that the particles thatconstitute the'packing-body are frequently dissipated'or absorbed by theheat and often caused to cohere irregularly, and thereby destroys theproper elasticity of the packing in all directions and perfectapplication of the packing about the shaft.

In my present invention I have shown a packing whose constituent partsare so combined as to insure at all times a proper application of thepacking-body in all directions and a perfect fitting about the rod andin a manner so as to withstand a maximum wear under a minimum amount offriction.

My present invention also comprehends an improved type of packing of thecharacter stated in which the antifriction metal lparticles are in thenature of one or more continuous ribbons or thin strands of antifrictionmetal, in themselves lubricant-coated vand compressed to the'desiredshape in cross-section with a substance that coheres with the coatedmetal particles.

. Another'Y object of my presentv invention is to provide a packing ofthe character stated formed of a lubricant-coated metalribbon or thinwire wound continuously 'upon itself to the desired cross-sectionalshape and compressed tothe shape to which the ribbon or wire isinitially wound. f

My present invention also embodies certain details of construction andarrangement of parts, allA of vwhich. will be first fully explained,then pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, `in which- Figure l is a cross-section of astufEng-box with my improved packing applied for use, the packing-ringsbeing partly in elevation and partly in section. .Fig 2 is across-section 'of one of the segmentson an enlarged Y Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing a slightly-modified form'of my Invention. Fig.

' 4C is a detail perspective view of a portion'of a packing-ring formedin accordance with the modified construction shown 1n Fig. l. Fig.

'5 isa detail perspective view of a portion of a packing-ring formed inaccordance with the "construction shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a deview ofmy improved packcompressed into a hard dense body.- The cohesivematerial may be beeswax, gum-shellac, or any other analogous compositioncapable of withstanding a high degree ofl heat before melting.

In the forms shown in Figs. 1, 2, and i the metallic particles in mypresent form of packing consist of a thin antifriction metal ribbon (o,which is coated with a suitable lubricant (graphite) and which is. woundupon litself in superimposed layers, with its edges continuouslyoverlapping in such manner yto form, substantially, a wedge shape'incross- IOO section. In the manufacture of my form of packing the ribbonas it is wound upon itself is saturated with a mixture of cohesivematerial Csuch as beeswax, gum-shellac, &c.- and a lubricant,(graphite,) the whole being generally formed in a suitable mold. Afterthe packing is generally formed the several constituent parts-that is,the lubricant-coated metallic ribbon, the graphite, and the cohesivematerial-is compressed into aliard mass.

Instead of winding the metallic ribbon or intermixing with it as it iswound into shape a Icohesive material and graphite the ribbon may bepreferably covered with a thick coating of cohesive material andgraphite and the said ribbon thus treated wound tightly intosuperimposed layers in the general shape in cross-section desired andthen compressed into a homogeneous mass.

Instead of forming the antifriction metal particles of my packing of acontinuous thin sheet or ribbon the same general results are obtained byforming the metal particles of the packing of a wire coated with acohesive substance and lubricant mixed and then wound upon itself to thecross-sectional shape desired and then compressed into a homogeneousmass.

By constructing the packing-body in the manner shown and described itwill be apparent that the metallic particles of my packing aredistributed regularly and evenly throughout the entire body of thepacking-ring, and hence the danger of portions thereofl being drawn upin an irregular mass, as is incident in the use of packing in which themetal particles consist of chips or turnings, is overcome. Furthermore,by reason of the volute winding of the ribbon or wire a regular radialexpansibility of the packing-body is maintained at all times, and hencea maximum amount of wear of the packing is secured with a minimumfriction and with the minimum danger of destroying the regularity of theelastic qualities of the packing. Furthermore, by reason of the peculiarformation of my present form of packing I lind from praetical use thatthe danger of the contacting packing-rings adhering to each other orsolidifying isA reduced to the minimum, and the necessity of the use ofinsulating members which consist of rings or washers formed ofBabbittmetal or papier-mche that are usually mounted upon the rodsbetween each pair of packing-rings is dispensed with.

In practice the coated wire or ribbon is of a thickness of heavy paper,and the said wire or ribbon is wound in a mold and then compressed.While I have shown the ribbon as composed of a thin flat sheet, yet Idesire it understood that it need not be flat, but might be square orother shape in cross-section, the essential feature of my presentinvention consisting in forming the metallic portions of the packing ofa continuous flexible or elastic thin body of any antifriction lnetalcoated primarily with a lubricant or in its more detailed constructionwith a coating of cohesive substance and lubricant.

After the packing-ring is formed it is understood that the same maybecut up into segments in the usual manner, and the several segments maybe linished by heilig' further treated with a supplemental coating C ofantifriction pliable body.

In practice I form my improved packingrings by compressing` them under apressure of about thirty tons and at a higher temperature than that towhich they will be subjected when in use on engine or pump shafts.

By reason of the peculiar manner in which the ribbon or wire members arewound about each other in superimposed layers the said members when inposition for use within the gland about the rod or shaft will expandunder any applied heat of less than SOOO, and the said packing-ringsthereby automatically tighten themselves within the gland, and theseveral parts constituting the rings will not adhere or become massed,as does occur when the packing is composed of pellets, chips, ol othersimilar particles.

Another advantage of my form of packing is that in practice the same hasbeen found capable of withstanding pressure of about live thousandpounds.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters latent, isw

l. A packing for stullin g-boxes and the like, composed of a ring-shapedbody formed of a continuous piece of metal wound about itself and coatedwith an antifriction material.

Q. A packing for stul'ling-boxes and the like, composed of a metalribbon wound about itself and coated with antifriction material andcompressed into a ring shape.

3. A packing for stuffing-boxes and the like, composed of a thin,flexible metal body coated with a pliable antifriction material woundupon itself in concentric layers and compressed into a ring shape.

4. A packing-ring which consists of a llexible metal strand coated witha pliable anti frietion material wound upon itself in concentric .layersand compressed in a predetermined cross-sectional shape.

5. A packing for stulli iig-boxes and the like composed of a series ofthin flexible metal strips wound upon themselves in concentricsuperimposed layers, said layers being coated with a mixture ofgraphite, and a plastic material that binds metal and graphite together,for the purposes specilied.

6. A packing, composed of a lubricant and one or more sheets ofantifriction metal wound about each other and in concentric layerspressed into a solid mass with the lubricant.

7. A packing which consists of thin sheets of antifriction metal woundconeentrieally about eachother and a lubricant pressed With of thinmetal strands Wound continuously the metal sheets to form a solid massand a about themselves to form a solid mass and a supplemental coatingsurrounding the said lubricant compressed together with the said solidmass. Wound mass of strands into a solid body and I5 5 8. A packingwhich consists of a series of a supplemental pliable coating of anantifricthin strands of lubricant-coated antifriction tion materialsurrounding the said compressed metal, Wound in superimposed layers in apremass, as set forth. determined shape in cross-section and com- DAVIDH. STEWART. pressed to such shape whereby to form a solid Witnessesz' IOmass as set forth. E. H. DERMITT,

9. A packing formed of a body consisting ELIZABETH KIRKWOOD.

